Author: Allie Zottola

Currently: July 2018

Somehow another month has arrived. Welcome, July! Do you have any exciting plans for this month? We will be doing lots of preparing for our little gal by working on her room (we have it painted!), taking childbirth education classes, having a baby shower, and attending appointments.

Along with that, we also have work, birthday celebrations for loved ones, and all sorts of fun stuff. It’s going to be a good month! Here’s what’s currently going on in my life 🙂

Current book I’m finishing up the book of Genesis and also reading What Falls from the Sky by Esther Emery. It’s a memoir type book about how the author went a year without the internet and found herself more connected with God. I’m finding it absolutely fascinating.

What Falls From the Sky by Ester Emery book

Current confession I totally want to go to the movie theater and see Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation. I just love kids movies, and we partially named Mavis after the main character in that movie!

Current experiment I ordered our groceries online from Walmart. We’re picking them up today and I’m super curious to see how the experience goes.

Current baked good Blueberry muffin cookies. They taste like the top of a blueberry muffin (aka the best part!).

Blueberry muffin cookies

Current beauty product This moisturizer. I like that it can be used day, night, or as a mask. Pretty versatile!

Current obsession Home organization. I think I’m nesting, haha. I just bought this organizer and can’t believe the difference it has made in freeing up space in our closet.

Current excitement Jimmy told me to pick out a new kitchen faucet for our anniversary! Our old one was a little leaky, and he knew I had been dreaming of out one with a pull down sprayer. We ended up finding this one at a great price on Amazon and he installed it this week. I have a thoughtful, skilled husband!

Matte black kitchen faucet with pull down sprayer

Current procrastination Calling our vet to schedule Mavis’ spaying procedure. I know I need to just get it done because it reduces her risk of cancer later in life, I’m not ready for an “oops” litter of puppies, and don’t feel like going through the “in heat” experience again in six months, lol.

Current goal To catch up on blog reading. I feel like summer is such a busy time, but I just love knowing what’s going on in my blog friends lives. Hoping to get a jump on that this week!

Current blessing A great week of Vacation Bible School at our church. Hannah and I headed up the kitchen this year, which is always nerve-wracking because we’re feeding somewhere around 60 to 70 people each night. It takes a lot of preparation, but it’s always worth it and a lot of fun to serve in this way.

Vacation Bible School Cake and girls serving food

Current need This sign. It’s too funny and some days I feel like taking it seriously 😉

Current app FreePrints. I am just loving this app! You can upload and print 4×6 photos for free and have them shipped to you. The only fee is for shipping. It makes scrapbooking a lot easier when I can upload and print photos right from my phone and get them in the mail a few days later.

Current food Swiss chard from our garden. It was the first thing we harvested this year!

Swiss Chard from vegetable garden in red strainer

Tell me something current in your life!

Mavis at 12 Months

Our little Mavis is now a year old!

Girl and cocker spaniel in car with therapy dog vest on

Jimmy and I think her personality has fully developed by this point and agree that she is spunky, sassy, playful, energetic, and intelligent. She would play with other dogs all day if she could, and she adores a long walk or game of fetch. She will also do anything for food and loves Lola and Malcolm. Car rides and pet sitting with me are her other favorite things.

She’s acquired the nickname “bandaid puppy” and “velcro puppy” because she always wants to be with Jimmy and I. Being in the same room as us isn’t enough, she has to be touching us at all times.

Guy reading book with cocker spaniel in lap

She is much better about being held since she was attacked by our neighbor’s dog, but pretty much only by me. She still doesn’t like having her paws touched, so we’re not sure if we will continue to pursue therapy dog work.

The not liking to be held or have her paws touched may be something she grows out of as she matures and we work with her, or it may be a sign she isn’t meant for therapy work. We’ll see as time passes! She’s still a youngster and has a lot of life ahead of her 🙂

Girl hugging brown and white cocker spaniel puppy

She has been through Puppy Level I and II, Adult Level I and II training classes, and took her AKC STAR Puppy and Canine Good Citizen Test. The only thing she didn’t pass was her Canine Good Citizen test (due to the paw touching–she passed all the other aspects of it!).

She did all of that before she turned nine months old, which is crazy to think about. I’m proud of our intelligent little gal! She knows sit, stay, come, down, chill, leave it, and paw. I’d like to work on heel with her a bit more.

Puppy training classes at Petco with cocker spaniel and AKC Star Puppy Test

Mavis went into heat right around her birthday and it has been quite the experience for the Zottola household. Let’s just say I’m glad we have hardwood floors!

We will probably have her spayed in the near future, because we aren’t interested in breeding and I don’t foresee myself having the time to show her in competitions. We’re more interested in agility or therapy work, and being spayed doesn’t impact eligibility for those hobbies.

Girl with dogs by water

We’ve had our good days and our bad days with Mavis. She’s definitely not perfect, but neither am I and she accepts me just as I am. I try to do the same with her and remember that she’s growing and learning the rules of this world day by day. Puppies take a lot of patience, but are so worth it in the end!

Mavis’ Favorite Treats/Food/Toys

Past Updates

The first time I met Mavis, when she was five-weeks-old.

I first met Mavis when she was five weeks old, and she’s been pet sitting with me pretty much her whole life. We spend a lot of time together, and our bond is strong. She has quickly become part of our family and I can’t imagine life without her. I’m excited to see what the coming years bring for little May May!